Description

A significant challenge facing returning veterans is securing and retaining employment in civilian life. The re-entry challenges are particularly acute for service members who acquired disabilities while in the military. The need to help returning service members, particularly those with acquired disabilities, with career counseling and skill development provides both a research and a practice opportunity for those in the information systems field who conduct social inclusion research and interventions. A question for social inclusion research is the following: Can military personnel and veterans, especially those with disabilities, “see themselves” as information technology (IT) professionals? A study funded by the National Science Foundation was undertaken to answer this question and to consider the implications for career counseling, higher education, and greater inclusiveness in the IT field.

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An Exploratory Study of Identity and IT Career Choice for Military Service Members and Veterans with Disabilities

A significant challenge facing returning veterans is securing and retaining employment in civilian life. The re-entry challenges are particularly acute for service members who acquired disabilities while in the military. The need to help returning service members, particularly those with acquired disabilities, with career counseling and skill development provides both a research and a practice opportunity for those in the information systems field who conduct social inclusion research and interventions. A question for social inclusion research is the following: Can military personnel and veterans, especially those with disabilities, “see themselves” as information technology (IT) professionals? A study funded by the National Science Foundation was undertaken to answer this question and to consider the implications for career counseling, higher education, and greater inclusiveness in the IT field.